1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vertical movement clip and system therefor for use in maintaining an exterior wall proximate a building framework. In particular, this invention relates to a vertical movement clip and retainer system for use with channeled beams.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In present day architecture most large buildings utilize a support structure framework comprising vertical steel columns with horizontal steel beams supported therebetween having floors and a roof attached thereto. This support structure is covered on the exterior with an exterior finish usually made up of panels or walls.
While the support structure, floors or roof are designed to bear a calculated maximum load they also must be permitted to compensate for live loads. Live loads, such as those due to weight applied to the floors and roof change frequently. The floors and roof must be designed to withstand such deflections but the walls must be isolated from such movement to prevent damage which would otherwise result from the compressive forces generated by the movement due to the loads. In addition, the walls must be fastened to floors and roof to withstand horizontal forces, such as variations in air pressure between the inside and outside of the building. Thus, means are needed to attach the walls to stud members or beams so that they may react to live loads.
Heretofore, various vertical movement clips have been suggested. L-shaped plates or clips have been used in the past which include a simple angle iron clip having a leg welded to a building support. The L-shaped plates or clips further include a side having an elongated slot to receive a bolt or screw to secure it to a C-shaped stud member. A difficulty with this bolt or screw is that it requires a permanent attachment of the clip or L shaped plate to an exterior C shaped channeled stud. Such attachment, if the bolts are too tight, would not compensate for building shifting and particularly the exterior building panels that are secured to the studs.
Another related art reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,391, discloses a building having floors or roof resting on peripheral beams supported by columns and non-load bearing walls. The walls enclose the building and include a plurality of vertical members, constituting part of the wall framing, having at least one flange perpendicular to a horizontal member joined to the building, and a plurality of metal clips joined to the horizontal member and securing the vertical member flange against horizontal movement but permitting unrestrained vertical displacement of the adjoining horizontal member relative to the vertical members which are a part of the wall. In this way, roof and floor deflections do not apply compressive forces to the walls. Each clip may be made of sheet metal and have a planar metal body of substantially uniform thickness, with or without an integral planar metal flange laterally extending from the metal body, and an elongated opening of uniform width in the metal body extending inwardly from the lateral flange with the opening being adapted to smoothly receive a vertical flange of a wall vertical member of a wall.
Additionally, there is also a curtain wall stud slide clip covered by U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,400. This invention uses a clip for connecting a curtain wall stud to the load bearing framework of a building, and has dents so that the clip may be pushed onto the stud and does not have to be supported by hand while it is being welded to the framework.
Moreover, there is a vertical movement clip and C stud retainer system covered by U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,858. This invention uses a generally U shaped clip secured to a building support structure having a clip web portion and two legs projecting from the web with stiffening members and a slot projecting through said clip web and into the legs with the web on one side of the slot being on an offset plane from the web on the opposite side of the slot, and a C stud adapted to interfit with the clip to allow vertical movement of the stud yet prevent outward horizontal movement of C stud. The C stud is adapted to receive a non-load bearing exterior finish building panel.